1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a timing device, and to a timing device with a chronograph, for example.
2. Background Information
In conventional practice, multifunction timepieces (timing devices) with a chronograph function are designed so that a stop operation or reset operation for the next measurement is prompted and the timing for the next measurement is prevented from being missed by informing the user in a readily recognizable format that an automatic stop has occurred when time measurement automatically stops after the maximum measurable time passes since the initiation of time measurement (for example, JP Kokai No. H11-304966).
This multifunction timepiece includes an hour hand, a minute hand, and a second hand for displaying regular time, and also includes a 1/10 second chronograph hand (“chronograph” will hereinafter sometimes be referred to as “CG;” where “CG” is an abbreviation for “chronograph”), a second chronograph hand, a minute chronograph hand, and an hour chronograph hand. The display section of these chronograph hands has circular indicators and is designed so that the maximum measurable time is measured via the chronograph hands making a full rotation from the zero position.
Since the chronograph hands automatically stop at the zero position after the maximum measurable time has passed, it is impossible to determine by looking whether they are in the automatically stopped state or whether they are in the return-to-zero condition after resetting, so the multifunction timepiece is designed so that during automatic stopping the chronograph hands are stopped at a position slightly after the zero position, and the user can determine that the chronograph is in the automatically stopped state and not in the return-to-zero condition by ascertaining that the chronograph hands have stopped in such a position.
However, when the chronograph hands are stopped at a position slightly past the zero position as with the multifunction timepiece, it is sometimes impossible to immediately determine whether this stopped state is due to automatic stopping or whether the user has used a stop operation. For example, sometimes a user who thinks he has used the stop operation may leave the timepiece unattended without knowing that measurement is actually continuing and will later check the timepiece, but the chronograph hands have stopped in the automatic stopping position.
It will be clear to those skilled in the art from the disclosure of the present invention that an improved timing device is necessary because of the above-mentioned considerations. The present invention meets the requirements of these conventional technologies as well as other requirements, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure hereinbelow.